take for
verb
took for; taken for; taking for; takes for
: to suppose (someone) to be (a particular kind of person) : to perceive (someone) as (something)
What do you take me for?
"I think I do understand. I'm not such a dull fellow as you take me for."—
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery… a usually commonsensical fellow who was anything but the … clod some people took him for.—Robert Sherrill
Robert SherrillPlease do not take me for a wimp—one of those pallid, selfless creatures who shuns disagreements entirely.—Maggie Scarf
Maggie ScarfExamples of take for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the memorial for some here was a reminder Lincoln believed democracy was resilient but couldn’t be taken for granted.
—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Cyclosporiasis is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), commonly sold as Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim, taken for 10 days, according to the CDC.
—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Political scientists argue that women of color's votes are taken as reliable and therefore, in a certain political calculus, taken for granted.
—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Parent-child relationships are often taken for granted as the child grows into adulthood and both sides have to readjust to different expectations.
—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for take for
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Cyclosporiasis is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), commonly sold as Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim, taken for 10 days, according to the CDC.
—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Political scientists argue that women of color's votes are taken as reliable and therefore, in a certain political calculus, taken for granted.
—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Parent-child relationships are often taken for granted as the child grows into adulthood and both sides have to readjust to different expectations.
—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for take for
Cite this Entry
“Take for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20for. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
